5Come Down || We the Ghost
JP
Code Viagra aren’t halfbad. After the third time I accidentally called them that, I gave up on remembering their real name. Now everyone in our group is chanting, “Code Viagra! Code Viagra!” as they get up to do their encore.
Even Rabbit Girl is clapping along, doing her best to applaud while holding the still mostly-full bottle of Pabst she got when we arrived. I’ve been busy busting a move on the dance floor and starting a minor mosh pit—which I sort of consider my duty whenever I’m at a show—but I’ve seen her over by the bar, shyly answering a few questions from Matt’s girlfriend, Kay, throughout the night.
The band finishes their set and clears off the stage. Whoever’s in charge of the sound system doesn’t miss a beat, and starts blasting alt-rock over the speakers to keep the crowd moving. The first song they play is from Shebrooke Station’s latest album.
If I thought Stéphanie’s friends were loud before, that’s nothing compared to this. They surround me like a circle of sloppy-drunk fairies and start shouting the words of the song. Being the gentleman I am, I play some air piano for them and sing along too.
“Okay,les filles, I gotta go!” I yell once the song is done, then make my way over to the bar.
Stéphanie is standing next to Kay now, the two of them chatting while Molly clutches her beer and nods along to their conversation, her eyes darting around the room. I slide into the empty spot beside her.
“Enjoying your evening,Madame?”
She nods and flashes a quick smile. “Yeah. The band was great.”
I lean in a little closer. “It’s okay. You can admit you were only paying attention to my dance moves.”
If I moved just a few inches closer, my nose would be brushing her curly mass of hair. I can smell her shampoo from here, something flowery with just a little bit of spice underneath. I don’t know why, but I can’t help thinking there’s some hint of spice hiding under her wallflower personality too.
She lets out a nervous laugh, and I watch as she tucks a stray curl behind her ear. There’s something so sexy about the way girls do that. It feels innocent and inviting all at once. I keep my eyes fixed on hers when she flicks them towards me. She holds my gaze for a second before glancing away.
If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was flirting. I’m about to push my luck and lean in even closer when she sets her drink down on the bar.
“Do you mind watching this for me?” she asks, gesturing towards the Pabst bottle. “I’ll be right back.”
“Your alcohol is safe with me,” I assure her.
She darts off towards the bathrooms. Kay and Stéphanie immediately turn their attention on me.
“JP, what did you do to my roommate?” Stéphanie demands.
I place a hand on my chest. “What didIdo?”
“First she let you in her room, then she showed you her drawings, then you got her to come out to the bar.” Stéphanie counts her points off on her fingers. “I’ve been living with her for over a year, and she still hardlytalksto me.”
I shrug. “What can I say? I’m irresistible.”
Kay lets out a snort and shoves her glasses back up her nose. “Lock up your daughters, ladies and gentlemen. There’s a wolf on the prowl tonight.”
Normally I would respond with a wolf howl loud enough to get us kicked out of the bar, but something else Stéphanie mentioned stuck out to me.
“You said she showed me her drawings?”
Stéphanie looks confused. “I thought that’s what you were looking at when I knocked on her door? She’s really good at art. That’s one of the few things I know about her.”
I scratch my chin. “Interesting.”
I glance towards the bathrooms and spot Molly’s cloud of hair through the crowd. Somemecwho’s so drunk I can tell he’s hammered from all the way over here is calling out to her, and she pauses on her way back over to the bar. My eyes narrow, and I tighten my grip around her beer bottle.
Matt and Ace appear just then, bumping me out of the way so they can get a hold of their respective women and order fresh beers. Cole took off after about twenty minutes of lurking in a corner. I put in an order for a beer too, and we all shoot the shit about Code Viagra and Stéphanie’s still wildly dancing friends.
I make my share of jokes, but the whole time, all I’m really thinking about is Molly. I keep her in my line of sight as she stands there, politely letting the drunk fucker ramble on about god knows what. He keeps his hands to himself, but my asshole senses are tingling.
Voyons. That didn’t come out right. My ass isn’t tingling; I mean I feel like the dude is bad news.
